Social Media

01/29/2013

The Trend - January Jones' hair and 'Why, Why, Manti?'

January Jones is the hot trend of the day after the actress announced during an interview at Sundance that her hair is falling out in clumps. The "Mad Men" star pins the blame on frequent colorings and tells Grazia Daily that she has "been blonde, red with extensions for this film, then blonde, then black, and now blonde again. I’m going to have to shave it off and wear a wig."

Police in South Florida say rapper Rick Ross crashed his Rolls Royce into a building after hearing shots fired nearby. Fort Lauderdale police say Ross and his companion, fashion designer Shateria L. Moragne-el, reported hearing multiple shots fired in their direction at around 5 a.m. Monday. Police say Ross lost control of the silver Rolls and crashed into an apartment building. Neither Ross nor his passenger was injured and police say it did not appear that any bullets struck the Rolls.

Ahead of the Super Bowl, San Francisco 49ers backup quarterback Alex Smith is making headlines because of a report that he intends to request his release after the season. It is widely expected that the team will try to trade Smith, who was replaced by quarterback Colin Kaepernick midway through the season despite very good numbers. But Smith is apparently hoping that his loyalty to the team that drafted him, as well as the class with which he handled the demotion, will earn him his release as a reward. That would allow him more control over his next destination.

The rare execution of a woman convicted of murdering her 71-year-old neighbor will mark the first time in three years that a female has been put to death in the U.S. Fifty-one-year-old Kimberly McCarthy is scheduled for lethal injection in Texas Tuesday evening for the 1997 fatal stabbing of retired college psychology professor Dorothy Booth. Investigators say Booth had agreed to give McCarthy a cup of sugar before she was attacked at her home in Lancaster, about 15 miles south of Dallas. It was among three slayings linked to McCarthy, a former nursing home therapist who'd been addicted to crack cocaine. McCarthy will be the 13th woman executed in the U.S. since 1976, when the Supreme Court allowed the death penalty to resume. Since then, more than 1,300 men have been executed.

If you're a Star Trek fan, you might enjoy this homemade shot-for-shot remake of the latest trailer for the new film. Some people just have a lot of free time.

Book store chain Barnes and Noble might slowly be going the way of Borders. The head of Barnes and Noble's retail group, Mitchel Klipper, said in an interview published Monday in The Wall Street Journal that the company will have 450 to 500 stores in a decade. That's down from about 689 currently. Klipper said the chain plans to close about 20 stores a year over the period.

The Slow Mo Guys bring you’re their latest viral video, the collapse of two cooling towers.

Adele Hall, wife of Hallmark Cards Chairman Donald J. Hall, has died. She was 81. Hallmark Cards spokesman Steve Doyal said Monday that Adele Hall collapsed and died unexpectedly Saturday at the family's home in Hawaii. The Kansas City-based greeting cards company says Hall had been married to her husband for nearly 60 years.

01/14/2013

Golden Globes, scene-stealing toddlers and panda cubs

Good morning!

The Golden Globes are buzzing this morning after Ben Affleck got some vindication for not earning an Oscar nomination. Affleck won best director honors and his film "Argo" won best drama picture at the Globes. Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln," which leads the Oscar nominations, only won a single Golden Globe. The other big winner of the night was "Les Miserables," which won best musical or comedy, best actor for Hugh Jackman and best supporting actress for Anne Hathaway.

The other big story out of the Globes was Jodie Foster, who sort of came out of the closest without really coming out, and hinted at retiring from acting without actually saying that she was retiring. The speech sparked a mixed discussion on social media, ranging from "brilliant" to "what?" Even writers seemed dazzled and bewildered at the same time. Backstage, Foster dispelled any notion that she was retiring. "I could never stop acting," she said. "You'd have to drag me behind a team of horses." And when asked her intended message, Foster said, "That people change."

Lots of searching going on for Justin Timberlake this morning as he has released his first original song since 2006. "Suit & Tie" features Jay-Z. It's available on iTunes today. Timberlake wrote on his website that the song is part of an upcoming album called "The 20/20 Experience," due out later this year.

A musician's unusual video getting a lot of attention. In "Sheet Music," Andrew Huang creates a beat using only a large sheet of paper and a pair of scissors.

The other hot topics this weekend revolve around the NFL playoffs as New England, Baltimore, Atlanta and San Francisco all advanced to their conference championships. Players getting a lot of buzz include the retiring Raven Ray Lewis; Patriots back-up RB Shane Vereen, who scored three times in the win over Houston; 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick, who racked up 181 yards running in the win over Green Bay; and Matt Bryant, who kicked the game-winning field goal in the thriller between Seattle and Atlanta.

Kate Middleton's due date has been revealed! The palace office says the Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William are expecting their first child to be born in July.

A 17-month-old baby stole the show when he ran out on stage and started dancing during his dad's concert. Adorable Ethan crashed the performance and upstaged his dad, Coffey, during the New Year's Eve event.

Finally, the San Diego Zoo has welcomed its newest resident. Panda cub Xiao Liwu debuted with his mom and is now viewable by the public every day.

01/08/2013

AJ and Katherine, the Bachelor and Skip Rope

Good morning!

Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron and his girlfriend are separately the hottest searches around the web this Tuesday. AJ led the Crimson Tide to their third BCS championship in four years by bashing top-ranked Notre Dame, 42-14, Monday night. The nation's leader in passing efficiency completed 20 of 28 passes for 264 yards and four touchdowns in a game that might have even been better than his MVP performance against LSU a year ago. He moved past John Parker Wilson to set the school record with 49 career passing touchdowns with a year to go since McCarron has already announced he'll return for his senior season instead of turning pro.

McCarron's model girlfriend, Miss Alabama Katherine Webb, became a hot topic on Twitter after she garnered a lot of screen time during the game. In addition to gaining 90,000 followers on the social networking site, she got asked on a date to a strip club by Arizona Cardinals defensive linemen Darnell Docket, who accidentally tweeted his phone number in what he intended to be a direct message. Game announcer Brent Musburger is also getting attention for perhaps being a bit too infatuated with Webb. Sure the game was a blowout, but the 73-year-old commentator may have spent a BIT too much time discussing how quarterbacks get all the hot women.

Pictures allegedly showing teen sensation Justin Bieber smoking pot at a party continue to generate a lot of traffic. Bieber was photographed last week at a hotel-room party in Newport Beach holding what appears to be a joint with rapper Lil Twist and several other people. There are also a few empty beer bottles in the frame. Some fans and parents are outraged by the photos, especially considering Bieber's status as a role model to younger kids.

An escalator accident that left six people hurt in the Exchange Place PATH station in Jersey City has turned Alex Rodriguez (no, not that one) into a viral video celebrity. His video of the escalator suddenly changing directions and throwing riders into disarray has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times. And yes, we had him on our air.

Sean Lowe and "The Bachelor" are top treading topics after the third-place finisher in "The Bachelorette" began his quest for love on the 17th season of the hit ABC show. Some of Sean's crazies included a "Fifty Shades of Gray" fan who wanted to tie him up with a necktie and a woman who exited the limousine in a full wedding dress. He whittled down his 26 potential suitors to 19. As always, you can get the latest show news from Jen Matarese's Coming Up Roses blog.

Taylor Swift and Harry Styles have gone their separate ways, according to multiple reports. While Swift, 23, and Styles, 18, shared a whirlwind romance that was heavily publicized for the past couple of months, a number of news outlets are reporting that the pop-star pair have officially broken up. According to the New York Post, Swift and Styles called it quits while vacationing in Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands on January 4. While the pair flew to the islands on Tuesday, January 1 with friends, Swift reportedly caught an early-morning boat ride and flight off of the island - by herself.

Apparently the best way to prank people is by using their own words. "Echoing People" might be going viral, but I find it more annoying than a "prank."

Huell Howser, the homespun host of public television's popular "California's Gold" travelogues, has died at age 67. Howser died at his home Sunday night from natural causes, said Ayn Allen, corporate communications manager for KCET. No other details were available. For years, "California's Gold" took viewers to many parts of the Golden State, with Howser doing folksy, highly enthusiastic interviews and narration in a distinctive twang he brought with him from his native Tennessee.

If you ever wondered what 600 guitars playing John Lennon's "Imagine" would sound like, it actually sounds pretty good. Darjeeling Hills came alive with the sound of music on January 3 when hundreds of guitarists strummed along as a tribute to one of Delhi's rape victims.

A Chicago lottery winner who mysteriously died is also a trending topic. With no signs of trauma and nothing to raise suspicions, Urooj Khan's sudden death just as he was about to collect nearly $425,000 was initially ruled a result of natural causes. But nearly six months later, authorities have a mystery on their hands after medical examiners, responding to a relative's pleas, did an expanded screening and determined that the 46-year-old Khan died shortly after ingesting a lethal dose of cyanide. The finding has triggered a homicide investigation.

Finally, from the same producer who brought you Rebecca Black's "Friday" comes a new duo known as Tweenchronic. Check out the official music video for "Skip Rope." To sum up, it is horrible.

12/27/2012

Peter Parker's death and Jennifer Aniston's abs

Good morning!

It's the end of an era in the comic book world, and fans around the world are up in arms over the death of Peter Parker, a.k.a. the Amazing Spider-Man. The superhero loses an epic battle with nemesis Doctor Octopus in the franchise's 700th issue, ending a 50-year run as the web slinger. Parker and Otto Octavius had undergone a switcheroo, with Parker's mind is trapped in the withered, decaying dying body of his rival. After the battle, it's Octavius who wins out. Parker is, at least for now, gone for good, but not before one more act of heroism. Parker's memories envelop Octavius, which shows the villain what it means to be a hero. "Gone are his days of villainy, but since it's Doc Ock and he has that ego, he's not going to try and just be Spider-Man, he's going to try to be the best Spider-Man ever," writer Dan Slott said.

The end of the Mayan calendar didn't bring about the end of the world last week, and now it appears an asteroid won't do it either, at least not anytime soon. NASA had said there was a 1 percent chance that an asteroid would hit our planet in 2040, but after observing its future course, astronomers say that risk has been eliminated. A collision with earth would have been more powerful than the atomic bombs that ended WWII.

Can't get enough Fun? Check out a new version of the band's hit song "We Are Young Parts," the old-school computer remix, with the song played by vintage computer components.

Janet Jackson is reportedly engaged to her boyfriend Wissam Al Mana, a billionaire from Qatar, although the singer has not confirmed the news. According to US Weekly, which carried the report on Wednesday, Mana, 37, gave the 46-year-old "huge, expensive ring" earlier this year and that the two plan to wed in the spring in a multi-million dollar ceremony in his native country. A spokesperson for Jackson had no immediate comment. If the two tie the knot, it would mark Jackson's third marriage.

Guinness is recounting the new world records set this year in a viral video. Check out the best of 2012.

Jennifer Aniston's bikini body is also making headlines, though the pictures of the 43-year-old stunner are also squashing any rumors that she might be pregnant. Aniston was spotted with fiancé Justin Theroux in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where the actress flaunted her rock-hard abs in a pink two piece.

Finally, a great dane cuddles with a baby. The video is originally from October, but has recently seen a huge spike in views.

12/07/2012

2 weeks to the end of the world

Good morning!

It's Friday, December 7, and that means we could be just two short weeks away from the end of the world. As we monitor the ominous approach of 12-21-12, which marks the end of the Mayan calendar and the first full galactic alignment in 26,000 years, many people are buying into the apparently impending apocalypse and preparing for the worst. While the day is likely to go the same way as Y2K, the prime minister of Australia isn't taking any chances. In one of the web's most viewed videos, Julia Gillard addresses "My dear remaining fellow Australians" and wishes them luck dealing with earth's demise (PS, it's a spoof for a radio show).

Rumors regarding a possible third pregnancy for Jessica Alba have the actress in the news. The "National Enquirer" apparently got the ball rolling by reporting the stunner was with child, but Alba quickly hit the airways to squash the report. She told E! Online flatly that she is not pregnant. Hope the update doesn't completely ruin your weekend.

A strong earthquake on Friday struck the same Japanese coast devastated by last year's massive quake and tsunami, generating small waves but no immediate reports of heavy damage. Several people along the northeastern coast were reportedly injured and buildings in Tokyo and elsewhere swayed for several minutes. The earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 7.3 and struck in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Miyagi. The area was shaken by repeated, smaller aftershocks, the agency said. After the quake, authorities issued a warning that a tsunami potentially as high as 2 meters (2.2 yards) could hit. That warning was lifted a few hours later.

Dan Akroyd has given an interview that seemingly pressures Sony to go ahead and make "Ghostbusters 3" already, dammit! The actor sat down with Esquire magazine and said he and director Ivan Reitman have a script they like and that "We can't wait forever." He also said that his friend Bill Murray, whose on-again-off-again association with the project is well documented, is welcome to rejoin at any time and can be worked into the script without a problem. "Ghostbusters 2" came out in 1989, and talks of turning the franchise into a trilogy have been swirling for nearly a decade.

Friday marks the 71st anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, which killed thousands of people and officially drug the US into World War II. More than 2,000 people are gathering at the site of the attack, and ceremonies got under way with a moment of silence at 7:55 a.m., the exact time the bombing began in 1941.

Katt Williams still can't stop making headlines. The actor and stand-up comedian didn't show up at an arraignment hearing in Seattle to face assault charges stemming from several run-ins with people and police last weekend. Williams' attorney, Thomas McAllister, told the judge Thursday that his client was under the impression that he didn't have to attend the hearing, citing information from a Seattle Times article. McAllister says Williams is back in California. The judge rescheduled the hearing for next week.

Stephen Baldwin is a hot topic following his arrest on tax evasion charges Thursday. Baldwin is accused of not paying New York state taxes for three years, amassing a $350,000 debt. The youngest of the four acting Baldwin brothers pleaded not guilty at an arraignment and was freed without bail.

In another popular video, Tommy Edison explains what colors mean to blind people. Edison has been blind since birth, so colors exist to him only as a part of language. He has no idea what they are, and is mystified that the sky and ice can be the same color.

Next up, YouTubers react to viral videos.

Finally, one creative couple announces their intent to end their 5-year relationship in a catchy song. It's called "We've Got to Break Up."

12/06/2012

'Grease' reunion, Spidernauts and Farmer Style

Good morning!

Brooke Burke cancer is the top search on Yahoo as the actress and "Dancing with the Stars" host prepares to undergo surgery for thyroid cancer this week. Burke-Charvet and husband David Charvet opened up about how they told their children about the cancer diagnosis. The couple has two children, 5-year-old daughter Rain and 4-year-old son Shaya. Burke also has two children from her previous marriage with plastic surgeon Garth Fisher.

"I decided not to tell my children about my diagnosis for as long as I possibly could because I didn't want them to worry," Burke-Charvet, 41, wrote on her Modern Mom blog Wednesday. "I know that my younger ones still don't have a great concept of time and I didn't want them to be anxious, worried and asking 1,000 questions."

Penn State University is back in the news for less-than-stellar reasons. This time, a campus sorority has apologized after a photo of members wearing sombreros and holding offensive signs circulated on the internet. One of the signs in the photo of Chi Omega sisters says "will mow lawn for weed + beer" and another reads "I don't cut grass I smoke it." The two women holding signs are wearing fake mustaches. The university Panhellenic Council is investigating.

A crazy video out of Myanmar is exploding on YouTube…literally. It comes from the annual Fire Balloon Festival, but in this case, things go horribly wrong. A hot air balloon carrying fireworks crashes, setting off everything at once and sending onlookers fleeing for cover.

NASA has released stunning new photographs of earth courtesy of a newly launched satellite that's equipped with a sensor to observe the planet at night. Twinkling city lights, raging wildfires and colorful auroras are lit up in new dazzling nighttime views of the planet. We've got a slideshow of the pictures.

Kate Middleton has been discharged from the hospital after spending a few days there for treatment of a severe form of morning sickness. Clutching a small bouquet of yellow roses, The pregnant Duchess of Cambridge smiled and posed briefly for a photograph alongside her husband, Prince William, before leaving King Edward VII Hospital. She stepped delicately into a waiting car.

One of the more bizarre videos you'll see, which is also going viral, comes from Grease alumni John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. The couple reunited to shoot a music video for "I Think You Might Like It," which is apparently part of a joint Christmas album. The video, billed as a sequel to "You're The One That I Want," been viewed nearly a half a million times since it was posted Wednesday.

There are two notable deaths to report this Thursday. First, actress Susan Luckey passed away at the age of 74. Her real name was Suzanne Douglas, and she was best known for playing Mayor Shinn's daughter in "The Music Man." Luckey died from natural causes, according to her daughter Shayna Reynolds, who said her mom had not been suffering from any long-term illnesses. Second, the U.S. astronaut corps has lost another member. Neffi the space spider survived 55 days aboard the International Space Station, but only lasted four days in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. Neffi beat the odds in an experiment to determine if a gravity-dependent spider could figure out how to eat in space. She ate fruit flies in sealed environment and survived, despite a miscalculation of the amount of food needed for the mission. Neffi returned to earth in October and was roughly 10 months old at the time of her death.

UK spoken word artist Sulibreezy hates school but loves education. He explains why in this viral video that is approaching 1 million views.

Finally, we've got the latest parody of the Gangnam Style craze. This time, it's "Farmer Style," and it's been viewed nearly 1.1 million times in the last two days.

12/05/2012

Jay-Z on the subway, 3-D motion sickness and Goomba Life

Good morning!

Rapper Jay-Z is one of the most famous names in entertainment, but a video of him riding the subway with an elderly woman who doesn't know him has gone viral. The clip is part of a documentary about his shows at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn at the end of September.

During his R train encounter with Ellen en route to his last performance, excerpted from "Life + Times," the senior citizen chats him up about what he does for a living. He tells her he makes music, and she asks if he's famous. Apparently surprised by his choice of transportation, Ellen offers the four words we all secretly crave: "I'm proud of you."

The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, which aired on CBS Tuesday night, is a hot topic on Google. Billed as the sexiest night on television, the show also contained the controversy over one of the model's wearing an Indian headdress, which the company apologized for.

Kate Middleton continues to dominate the web as developments continue regarding her pregnancy. The newest tidbit involves the hospital where she is being treated for an extreme form of morning sickness. King Edward VII confirmed it had been the victim of a crank call in which information on Kate's condition was given out to a woman impersonating Queen Elizabeth II. An Australian radio station made the hoax call early Tuesday, and hospital officials fell for it.

Actor Frankie Muniz says he was hospitalized last week after suffering a "mini stroke." The former star of "Malcolm in the Middle" wrote on Twitter Tuesday that he was treated Friday for a "mini stroke," which he describes as "not fun at all." He says he has to "start taking care of my body. Getting old!" but provided no other details. Muniz turns 27 Wednesday.

Anderson Cooper says a reporting assignment turned into a temporary blindness scare. On his talk show Tuesday, Cooper said he was in Portugal last week working on a story for "60 Minutes" and spent two hours on the water. The newsman says that later, he developed a burning sensation in his eyes and lost sight for 36 hours. Showing a photo he took of himself with an eye patch, Cooper joked it would be his new online dating picture.

Wrestler Ric Flair's fourth marriage has officially hit the mat, with his wife of three years filing for divorce over claims of repeated infidelity. Jacquieline Fliehr also reports that Ric swindled her out of tens of thousands of dollars in spousal support he agreed to pay in their separation agreement. He apparently agreed to $4,000 per month and a one-time payment of $15,000 to cover legal costs, in addition to $14,000 in back-payments since the couple split in July, according to TMZ. Apparently, he has not paid a cent. Can you say pre-nup?

You've heard of time-lapse video, but what about hyper-lapse? A Cambodian filmmaker is looking to push the genre in an exciting new direction by adding movement. It kind of makes you dizzy.

Speaking of motion sickness, the new Hobbit film is reportedly causing headaches and nausea with its use of high-speed 3-D technology. Peter Jackson's much-anticipated "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" is making some moviegoers sick, and it has prompted a warning for those who may be particularly susceptible. The film made its world premiere in New Zealand Wednesday.

Finally, for all the Super Mario fans out there, we're finally getting a look at what life would be like as a small video game villain. Welcome to Goomba life…

12/04/2012

Royal Babies, Jeweled Catsuits and NFL Girlfriends

Good morning!

The baby bombshell dropped by the Royal family in London is the dominating web topic of the day, as the former Kate Middleton and current Duchess of Cambridge remains hospitalized for treatment of hyperemesis gravidarum, a severe form of morning sickness that affects about 1 in 200 women and can lead to dehydration or worse if left untreated.

The couple's first child will be third in line to the throne - behind William and his father, Prince Charles - leapfrogging the gregarious Prince Harry and possibly setting up the first scenario in which a female heir could benefit from new gender rules about succession.

Rob Kardashian is making headlines after he got a little too private on social media regarding his breakup with girlfriend Rita Ora. Kardashian took to Twitter to accuse the singer of cheating on him with more than 20 guys.

He wrote: “She cheated on me with nearly 20 dudes while we were together, I wonder how many she will sleep with now that we apart? But I mean 20?!!! How can a woman who is so busy trying to start her own career have time to be with so many dudes all while in a relationship?!”

The tweet has since been deleted, but not before #RitaWhore became a trending topic.

PBS has added LeVar Burton and Reading Rainbow to its popular remix series in one of the top trending videos of the day. John D. Boswell, aka melodysheep, is responsible for Reading Rainbow Remixed.

Robin Givins is a top Google search after ex-husband Mike Tyson opened up about the couple's divorce back in 1988. The 46-year-old Tyson said in an interview with Yahoo! Sports that he walked in on Givins in bed with Brad Pitt, who she dated during the breakup. Pitt was working TV guest spots at the time and was not yet a Hollywood megastar.

DMX has released his own version of a holiday tune for some reason, and his improve rap of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a big gainer on YouTube. Merry Christmas from DMX.

Katt Williams can't seem to stay out of trouble. The stand-up comedian and actor was ordered to leave a Seattle hotel late Monday, hours after he was released from jail following a dispute at a bar. Williams was ordered to leave a Courtyard Marriott after an unspecified incident that involved a police presence. Williams was arrested after police say he argued with a patron at a bar, menaced the manager with a pool cue and refused to leave World Sports Grille on Sunday. He was also accused of flicking a cigarette into a woman's face through a car window and throwing a rock at the vehicle. Police say Williams struggled with officers who arrested him and jailed him for investigation of assault, harassment and obstruction.

Speaking of getting kicked out of places, singer and TV personality Nick Lachey was forcibly ejected from the Bengals-Chargers game in San Diego Sunday. The Cincinnati-born former 98 Degrees frontman apparently took trash talking too far with a Chargers fan. Lachey tweeted Monday: "Majority of charger fans were awesome yesterday, thanks for the hospitality! Sadly, there is always one guy that ruins it for everyone....."

Singer Shania Twain performed in Las Vegas Monday, but it was her wardrobe choice and not her voice that got all the attention. The highlight of her first concert in eight years was a jeweled catsuit that the 47-year-old stunner wore as she cruised onto the stage on a motorcycle.

Next up is a Jurassic Prank. Beware of fake (but lifelike!) raptors.

Finally, the NOC gives you Every NFL Fan's Girlfriend, complete with T-shirts and accents.

12/03/2012

A Playboy wedding, 125-mile traffic jam and the Teddy Bear Toss

Good morning!

Hugh Hefner is engaged again. The 86-year-old Playboy mogul is a hot web topic after he and on-again, off-again fiancé Crystal Harris are once again set to tie the knot. In June of 2011, the now 26-year-old Harris called off the wedding just five days before the nuptials were set to take place and just AFTER she appeared on the cover of the magazine with the heading "America's Princess: Introducing Mrs. Crystal Hefner."

Harris moved back in with Hef earlier this year, and the couple is set to wed on New Year's Eve at the mansion.

The investigation continues into what led Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher to murder his girlfriend and then kill himself at Arrowhead Stadium over the weekend. Belcher and 22-year-old Kasandra Perkins had lived apart briefly earlier in the year, but had gotten back together by Thanksgiving. Friend Brianne York, 21, said Sunday the couple, who had a 3-month-old daughter, Zoey, argued about "normal couple stuff" but that her friend was "really happy about being a mom."

After shooting Perkins, Belcher drove about five miles to Arrowhead Stadium, where he thanked general manager Scott Pioli and coach Romeo Crennel for all they'd done for him. Belcher then fatally shot himself in the practice facility's parking lot, police said.

The college basketball world is mourning the loss of longtime coach Rick Majerus, who died of heart failure Saturday. Majerus led Utah to the 1998 NCAA final and had only one losing season in 25 years with four schools. Majerus had said Nov. 19 that he wouldn't return to Saint Louis because of the heart condition. He ended the school's 12-year NCAA tournament drought last season with a 26-win team that won its opening game and took top regional seed Michigan State to the wire. The Billikens were ranked for the first time since 1994-95.

"Serial Killer Found Dead" is the top search on Yahoo after a confessed murderer awaiting trial in the kidnapping death of a barista was found dead in his Alaska jail cell of an apparent suicide. Israel Keyes had admitted to abducting and murdering 18-year-old Samantha Koenig, who disappeared in February from a coffee stand in Anchorage. Keyes also admitted killing a Vermont couple in 2011 and as many as five people he did not name.

On a lighter note, the SoulPancake Street Team hit the streets to help offer inspiring words with its "Give a compliment, get a compliment" stand. The video has already been viewed more than half a million times.

An epic 125-mile traffic jam made headlines in Russia over the weekend. The backup happened Sunday on the stretch of main highway between the country's two most populated cities, Moscow and St. Petersburg. Movement along the M-10 highway was limited to foot traffic as cars and trucks sat motionless for more than half a day. By evening, the tie-ups were down to 34 miles.

If you ever wanted to see what 4 1/2 hours of airport landings look like sped up, your wish has been answered. The time-lapse is from San Diego International Airport on Black Friday.

Video of an 8-year-old girl being bitten by a dolphin at SeaWorld has gone viral. The girl was feeding the dolphin when she abruptly moved her hand, which was holding the fish. The dolphin lunged for them, leaving three small puncture wounds in the girl's arm. Her father, who posted the video, recognized that it was not the dolphin's fault. But he wants SeaWorld to do a better job making parents aware of the dangers of feeding the animals.

11/17/2012

President Obama is "not impressed"

Before President Obama went airborne on an overseas trip to Asia, he had a picture go viral with Olympic Gymnast McKayla Maroney.

On Thursday, gold medal winner Maroney and her fellow teammates visited the Oval Office where the Commander-in-Chief impressed Maroney with his rendition of her “McKayla Maroney is not impressed” scowl. The photo was posted by the White House's official twitter account.